A Pie For a Pie by London Lovett

Author:London Lovett [Lovett, London]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wild Fox Press

Nineteen

Marge had motive, she'd been at the park in the morning while Ingrid was still setting up, so she had proximity and her life had now improved because of Emery's death. Still, it was hard to consider her a suspect. She was a sweet, elderly lady who was enamored with her beautiful hens. I had to keep an open mind, but I was moving on to the next suspect on my list.

Thomas Anderson owned a feed store down the hill. Since I was already halfway there, I got in the car and headed toward his store. Mountain Feed and Grain was nestled amongst some tall pines. The shop itself was a square red building with white trim. The hay and straw and large bags of feed were stored in a big red metal building next to the shop. Thomas was having a sale on mucking forks and shovels. They were lined up neatly along the front of the store. A pallet of pine shavings for animal pens sat on the opposite side of the front door. The smell of pine from the shavings and the trees caused me to sneeze on my way in the door.

"Bless you," someone called from the counter. It was Thomas. He was wearing a green flannel shirt and a green trucker's cap with his store logo embroidered across the crown. He smiled when he saw me. "I don't usually see the town baker in my feed store. Your grandmother comes in all the time to buy birdseed. Is that why you're here? I got in a new mix that has cracked corn and peanuts. I know Evie doesn't like to leave the squirrels out."

I now had my reason for being in the store. I just needed to make a smooth transition to the pie contest. I assumed that wouldn't be hard considering Thomas was right there, just a foot away from Emery when he died.

"Great, I'll take one bag. I'm sure the squirrels will be happy." I followed Thomas past a display of treats for goats, sheep and horses. They were quite fragrant. "Do I smell licorice?" I asked.

Thomas laughed. "That'll be the goat treats. I always carry lots of treats at this time of year because there's very little to forage once the ground freezes." He lifted a big bag of birdseed onto his shoulder. "Just the one?"

"Yes, that'll do for now." I had no idea what Nana's birdseed inventory looked like at the moment, but she probably wouldn't mind an extra bag. I followed him back to the counter. "How are you doing—you know—after yesterday?"

Thomas dropped the bag on the counter with a plunk. He clucked his tongue and added in a head shake. "Can't believe that happened. I wanted badly to win but not like that. It's a hollow victory when your main competitor dies."

"I know you two were trading barbs before the contest, but I assume you were friends. You certainly had that pie contest in common."

"We didn't have much else in common.

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